TOTAL CELL COUNT, SINGLE CELL BIOMASS AND GROWTH RATE IN MARINE MICROCOSMS SUPPLEMENTED WITH GASOLINE AND GASOLINE-ENRICHED MARINE POPULATIONS

In this paper we present the results concerning some microbial parameters (total cell count, biomass and percentage growth rate) in marine microcosms supplemented with gasoline and gasoline-enriched marine populations. At the beginning of experiment, total cell population density was higher in microcosm supplemented with gasoline-enriched marine population and carbon / nitrogen source (gasoline (1% v/w) and ammonium nitrate (0.005% w/w)) as compared with the other microcosms, then a significant decrease in total cell population density was observed, due probably to gasoline consumption and/or to the significant bacteriolithic activity (litic bacteriophages and/or predatory bacteria). Our results argue that gasoline can sustain the growth of endogenous micorbiota as well as of previously gasolineenriched marine populations, thus sustaining the further research on the use of gasolineenriched marine populations for bioremediation of polluted sites (bioaugmentation)